Last Modified: Saturday, May 25, 2013 at 5:21 p.m.

People still sit around the fireplace and chat, but now it's more about stories that are nothing short of history. The hearth is covered with photographs and war memorabilia. Some of the photographs are the young faces of many of the residents. Some are sons, daughters and grandchildren who have served or are serving in the military.

The display, "American Dream," is a part of the broader theme "The Greatest Generation," which was the idea of public relations specialist Phyllis Smith. This month's theme celebrates the soldiers who returned home from war with the idea of building a life.

The display, she said, has garnered much attention by not only the residents, but visitors and workers as well. On Thursday afternoon, everyone who walked by stopped to take in the photographs.

The reaction from the residents has been priceless, Smith said. "They started gathering and telling stories that they remember."

One photograph in the sitting area has grabbed the attention of a few people. In it, a man and woman are staring back – both in military garb.

The couple in the photo are Martin and Bernice Zygovsky, and as they looked over some of the history on Thursday, they wore the uniforms from that photograph.

The couple met at the Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, N.C., where they were both on active duty. Martin Zygovsky was a Marine who worked with explosive ordnance and supply. He'd served two tours in Vietnam before landing in Cherry Point.

Bernice Zygovsky was serving in the Navy's Nurse Corps. She served abroad in Guam and Japan.

The two lived across the street from one another in the private sector near the base. He was a widower with two children. She'd spent most of her adult life serving in the Navy. In those days, she said, the Navy wouldn't let females who were married with children serve.

One day, Martin Zygovsky had tickets to a show he can't remember the name of and finally got up the nerve to ask Bernice out. They dated for more than a year and finally married on March 23, 1974, while both were still on active duty. By that time, the Navy had changed its policies, allowing the couple to make their commitment official.

The two ate lunch together every day until they retired from the military. Bernice retired in 1977 and Martin followed in 1978. He was a captain, and she was a commander, which made things a little interesting.

"Women don't usually have a higher rank than their husbands," Bernice Zygovsky joked.

It doesn't bother her husband, though.

"I salute her every night before I go to bed," Martin Zygovsky said with a chuckle.

After retiring from the military, the couple traveled for the next 28 years. They visited all 50 states and saw places all around the world before settling in at Carolina Village in March 2010.

Since then, they've been able to share their stories with other residents and listen to others' stories. The history in Carolina Village, however, was a surprise. The outpouring of photographs and memorabilia has revealed many things about fellow residents that they'd never known, Martin Zygovsky said.

"We really didn't know how much (history) was here till they started putting that stuff out there," he said.

<p>A hearth just inside the doors at Carolina Village has always been a meeting place for the retirement community. </p><p>In recent weeks, it has become much more. </p><p>People still sit around the fireplace and chat, but now it's more about stories that are nothing short of history. The hearth is covered with photographs and war memorabilia. Some of the photographs are the young faces of many of the residents. Some are sons, daughters and grandchildren who have served or are serving in the military.</p><p>The display, "American Dream," is a part of the broader theme "The Greatest Generation," which was the idea of public relations specialist Phyllis Smith. This month's theme celebrates the soldiers who returned home from war with the idea of building a life.</p><p>The display, she said, has garnered much attention by not only the residents, but visitors and workers as well. On Thursday afternoon, everyone who walked by stopped to take in the photographs.</p><p>The reaction from the residents has been priceless, Smith said. "They started gathering and telling stories that they remember." </p><p>One photograph in the sitting area has grabbed the attention of a few people. In it, a man and woman are staring back – both in military garb.</p><p>The couple in the photo are Martin and Bernice Zygovsky, and as they looked over some of the history on Thursday, they wore the uniforms from that photograph.</p><p>The couple met at the Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, N.C., where they were both on active duty. Martin Zygovsky was a Marine who worked with explosive ordnance and supply. He'd served two tours in Vietnam before landing in Cherry Point. </p><p>Bernice Zygovsky was serving in the Navy's Nurse Corps. She served abroad in Guam and Japan. </p><p>The two lived across the street from one another in the private sector near the base. He was a widower with two children. She'd spent most of her adult life serving in the Navy. In those days, she said, the Navy wouldn't let females who were married with children serve. </p><p>One day, Martin Zygovsky had tickets to a show he can't remember the name of and finally got up the nerve to ask Bernice out. They dated for more than a year and finally married on March 23, 1974, while both were still on active duty. By that time, the Navy had changed its policies, allowing the couple to make their commitment official. </p><p>The two ate lunch together every day until they retired from the military. Bernice retired in 1977 and Martin followed in 1978. He was a captain, and she was a commander, which made things a little interesting.</p><p>"Women don't usually have a higher rank than their husbands," Bernice Zygovsky joked.</p><p>It doesn't bother her husband, though.</p><p>"I salute her every night before I go to bed," Martin Zygovsky said with a chuckle. </p><p>After retiring from the military, the couple traveled for the next 28 years. They visited all 50 states and saw places all around the world before settling in at Carolina Village in March 2010. </p><p>Since then, they've been able to share their stories with other residents and listen to others' stories. The history in Carolina Village, however, was a surprise. The outpouring of photographs and memorabilia has revealed many things about fellow residents that they'd never known, Martin Zygovsky said. </p><p>"We really didn't know how much (history) was here till they started putting that stuff out there," he said.</p><p>"It's wonderful," Bernice Zygovsky added.</p><p>Reach Millwood at 828-694-7881 or at joey.millwood@blueridgenow.com.</p>